In this episode of Lab Rats to Unicorns, John Flavin sits down with Dr. Gene Robinson, a pioneering scientist in the biology of social behavior and a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Widely recognized for his groundbreaking work in genomics and neuroscience, Dr. Robinson has spent decades uncovering how genes influence behavior—using the complex societies of honeybees as his model system.

From leading the sequencing of the honeybee genome to advancing our understanding of how environment and biology interact, Dr. Robinson’s work has reshaped how scientists think about the relationship between genes and behavior. Now stepping into his role as Executive Director and CEO of the Discovery Partners Institute, he is focused on applying artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary collaboration to real-world challenges across industry and society.

This conversation explores the evolution of genomics, the surprising plasticity of behavior at the molecular level, and the implications of this work for fields ranging from medicine to AI. At its core, this episode is about curiosity, persistence, and the power of following a question—from a beekeeping hobby at age 17 to discoveries that challenge how we understand human potential.